"Unequal exchange. No deal."

Another sigh.No more pain, sweet. Not for you. Only pleasure. Now, take the soap and cleanse yourself from head to toe. Be careful not to rub the sores.

She didn't see the soap, but her hand somehow knew where it was and reached. Her fingers curled around the honey-scented bar and brought it to her body, where she massaged herself from head to toe as ordered. She even dunked under the water and came up sputtering.

"That's enough."I want more. The contradiction belonged to her, not him. "I'm clean."Dirty. "Let me out of the tub."In an hour.

Could he hear her naughty thoughts?

Not just yet.Nope. He couldn't. Otherwise he would have said something.I want to make you come.

Make her- Oh no. No, no, no. It was one thing to enjoy him. One thing to sleep with him. Maybe. One thing to come together. Again, maybe. But it was quite another to allow her enemy to give her an orgasm, whilehefelt nothing. No maybe about it.

"And I want you to. Get.Out."

Let's see if I can change your mind. Knead your breasts.

A heartbeat later, she was cupping her own breasts, plumping them up and moaning at the scandalous decadence. "Stop. Don't ... stop."

Do not worry. Stopping isn't an option. Now thumb your nipples.

She didn't even try to resist this time. It was futile, her body obeying before she even realized what he'd said. Her thumbs slid over her wet nipples as commanded, stroking and circling. Felt ... so ... good ... Her mind was darkening, concentrating only on the pleasure.

"Oh, God, Breean."

I like when you say my name. I can't wait to hear you shout it.

"I won't." He forced her to pinch, then caress away the sting. "Won't, won't, wont."Breean, Breean, Breean.

You will. Because it's good. So, so good. Too good.

Yes, too good. Her skin was burning, tingling, her stomach quivering. The ache between her legs was growing, spreading. As he'd promised, however, she remained Aleaha, slave to Breean, not once changing into another person.

Pretend it's my tongue flicking over those pretty peaks.

That was not a command he could enforce because it wasn't physical but she found herself obeying anyway. As her fingers played with those hard, sensitive tips, she pictured him in her mind, golden head bent over her, hot tongue flicking.

Another moan slipped from her. "Breean. I don't ... I don't understand how this is possible." Her hips were writhing in sync with her efforts, and water was pumping over the sides of the tub.

Are you aroused?

"You know I am." As if she could really deny it.

Do you want to touch yourself between your legs?

And finally assuage the ache? She could have sobbed, the anticipation was so consuming. Her knees were already open and spreading, waiting for that first heated touch.

Do you?"

"Yes," she whispered. Just then she was beyond caring about the circumstances, what she'd come here for, what she'd hoped to avoid. About the shame she'd probably feel afterward.I'm so weak,she thought, but sheneededto touch herself. Would die if she didn't. Since the moment their eyes had first met, they'd been building to this point. Her body had been ready, desperate, and she'd resisted. That had only made it worse. She realized that now.

There could be no more resisting.

She tried to slip one of her hands down her stomach, but it wouldn't move away from her breast. "Breean. Please."

Please what?

"Let me touch myself there."

What will you give me in return?

"Presents are-presents ..." She was panting, having trouble getting the words out. "You aren't supposed ... to expect anything ... in return. Now please."

What will you give me in return? he insisted.I can give you pleasure, and I can prevent you from changing. Isn't that what you want?

Argh! "Yes. Fine. Fine, but what do you want in return?"

You. As my lover. My lover in truth.

"Okay. Yes. Deal. Whatever you want?" She'd meant it as a statement, but it emerged as a question. God, she was about to explode. The more she fondled her breasts, the more the ache between her legs increased with dizzying frenzy. If she didn't do something soon, her heart really was going to burst from her chest.

I want you now and, your god knows, maybe forever.

"No," she said automatically. "Not that." Her head fell against the rim of the tub, dark hair floating around her shoulders. Steam curled through the air, a sensual haze. A dream. "Breean. I'm dying. Please."

A growl.Why won't you have me?

"Lover, yes. Forever, no. We're enemies."

We don't have to be.

"Breean!"

We will discuss this again. Understand?

"Yes, you sadistic bastard." Anything for relief. "Yes."

Touch your clitoris.

Her hips arched upward to meet her hand, and she cried out as her finger circled the drenched bud once, twice. "Yes. Yes!"

That's enough. Touch your breast again.

"Motherfucker!" She was once again massaging her breasts, her nipples so hard they abraded her palms. "Tell me to touch between my legs again."

So you want more?

"Yes, damn you. Yes!"

Am I a sadistic bastard?

"No. You're a sweetie pie. Honest!"

Good, that's good. Because this sweetie pie wants you over and over. Hard the first time, slow the second. Who knows what will happen the third time.

"Oh, God." In her mind, she could see his naked body straining for release on top of hers, pumping, gliding, sliding. His weight would be delicious. His eyes would blaze down at her with passion. He'd shout her name the way he wanted her to shout his, her real name, not someone else's, as his shaft delved deep.

I want it to be my cock inside you, not your fingers. I want you to come because ofme.

She wanted that, too. "Breean," she panted. She was still massaging her breasts, and her clitoris was still throbbing. "One more touch between my legs. Let me touch myself one more time. Then you can have me. Then you can take me."

Pump your fingers inside yourself.

She braced her feet on the sides of the tub, spreading herself wider. She sank a finger deep inside, cried out again, pumped. Pumped. So good. She was hurtling toward release. So close. Just one more and she'd- Stop.

Her finger froze. She screamed in frustration.

Do you have a man?The question was barked.Give me that much, at least.

"No. No man. And I'm not going to have you if you do this to me again, you sick fu- sweetie pie."

The two agents in the forest, the ones you slapped?

"Friends only. Swear."

He gave a satisfied purr.I'm glad.

She couldn't imagine doing this with Devyn or Dallas. She liked them, she did, and she even admired them, but she'd never felt as if she'd been set on fire in their presence. She'd never wanted to rip off their clothes and attack, licking and biting her way down until she'd tasted every inch.

"Command me to come, Breean. I'm begging you."

Finger yourself. Use two, then three.

Moaning as she obeyed, she filled herself with two fingers and pumped them in and out. When that wasn't enough, she added the third, stretching herself for a fuller sensation. Oh, oh. Yes. Yes! Just like that.

Next time, you'll feel my tongue there.

"Yes." She pictured Breean licking her clit, and she blessedly hurtled over the edge of completion, flying out of control, spinning toward the sky, a scream ripping from her throat.

Gradually, the sensations faded, her body relaxed, and she came back to her senses. She slumped over the side of the tub, panting. "I didn't change," she managed to get out. "I didn't change."

And you won't. I'm in control, remember?A second later, he added,But, darling. I'm not sure why you stopped. You're not done. Come again.

"W-what?" Even as she spoke, her fingers started working between her legs again, her core immediately readying itself for round two. So long she'd denied herself, she was unprepared for another onslaught. "No. No more."

You'll take it all.

"Yes, okay," she found herself groaning. Oh, God. The pleasure truly was building again. Steadily. Mercilessly. Her legs were falling farther and farther apart, giving her fingers more room to work.

Soon you'll take me.

"Yes." She couldn't deny that, either. She wanted him in a way she'd never wanted anything else. Even a life of her own. A life as Aleaha, without being hunted, without being different. And clearly, her body was already addicted to the pleasure he could give.

So lovely,he purred.

As her hips pumped, water sloshed back and forth, stroking her like a lover. Aleaha was very close to asking Breean to join her, to step out of her and assume control like he'd promised, like she'd told him she would accept. How much more powerful would the sensations be then? But somehow she held the words back, not yet ready to make that leap anywhere but in her mind. Soon, though. If she wasn't careful, soon.

Come.

Release hit her in the next instant. She bowed her back, pushing her fingers as deep as they would go, shuddering, rocking, shouting because this was more than an orgasm; this was a possession that lasted for eternity.

Finally she sagged, completely sated-and still shuddering. "Dear God."

I could feel it,Breean said, awed.The vibrations were so strong I could feel them.There was unabashed arousal in his tone.Come for me. One more time. I want to feel it again.

"I can't." Her limbs were like rocks.

Yes.

"Breean, I really can't."

You can.

"Too much," she panted. "It's too much."

Never enough.

"Let me ... let me ... catch my breath."

Come, sweet. Please, come for me.

The newest orgasm hadn't yet dissipated before another one sneaked up on her. Her clit was swollen, the water making her skin all the more sensitive, so every sensation was intensified. With one hand still at her breasts, she pinched her nipples and rode the waves of the third orgasm, shaking and quaking all over again.

Inside her head, she could hear Breean roaring, as if he, too, were coming. Somehow, that only increased her pleasure. "I ... I ..."

Breean was shouting her name, just as she'd craved, and then, suddenly, she was shivering, experiencing a fourth eruption-hispleasure becoming hers as well. Her blood sizzled and blistered through her veins, just like in the forest, and the scent of honey drifted fromher,filling the entire room, branding her soul-deep.

Utterly replete, Aleaha slumped over the rim of the tub once more. She might never be able to move again, was more exhausted than she'd ever been in her life. She was breathless, her heartbeat racing, her bones like jelly. Yet she'd never felt better.

She hadn't slept in the cell, too keyed up, wondering what the future held. Now her eyelids closed of their own accord and stayed closed as if they'd been glued.

"I guess you liked your gift," she managed to say.

He chuckled.I did indeed. Sleep now.

And she did.

Breean had never, in allhis years, experienced anything like that.